Bridle Your Tongue

Key Verse: “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shuttest his lips is esteemed a man of understanding” (Proverbs 17:28).

MESSAGE:

Most of the troubles in the world today are caused by an unbridled tongue. A mark of wisdom is to think before we speak. Unfortunately, some people speak before they think and eventually, more often than not, they end up regretting. A man could prove his wisdom by the good control of his tongue. However, God can not be deceived by our silence because he knows the heart and the folly that is bound there.

The text parades a catalogue of the conduct of fools. The Lord refers to the wicked as fools. A fool acquits the guilty and condemns those that are innocent. The fool wrongs his family and is quickly angry. He lives above his income and finds himself frequently in trouble because of unbridled tongue. He makes his parents sad very often. He gives bribe to avoid being punished. He does not have any regard for the word of God and is unreliable and inconsistent. He nags, insults, blackmails, slanders and exaggerates. He is full of false promises and makes a series of unredeemed vows and pledges.

The believer is expected to be careful of what he says, how to says it, where he says it and when he says it. A believer should be careful of what he says before the enemies and in evil times. He should be of few words when passing through difficult times. A believer should not be rash in speech and should not be garrulous or loquacious.

The obvious fact is that the unregenerate man cannot control his tongue. It is therefore sacrosanct that he needs to visit Calvary for Christ to touch his tongue. Even a believer may still be found guilty of this and it is an indication that he needs the second touch of Christ for total purging and inward cleansing of the stings of the tongue.